Yanni Gourde

Yanni Gourde is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Seattle Kraken, selected by the team in the 2021 NHL expansion draft after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Yanni Gourde (born December 15, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Quick Facts

Role: Center
Affiliation: Seattle Kraken (2021-Present)
Previous teams: Tampa Bay Lightning, Seattle Kraken
Status: Active
Championships: 2 Stanley Cups (Tampa Bay 2020, 2021)

Lore & Background

Growing up in Quebec, Gourde played ice hockey in the area until eventually joining the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 2008. In his final year with the team, he was the league's top scorer and most valuable player. He then signed with the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2012. After spending time with the Sharks, as well as the San Francisco Bulls and the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL, he signed with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014. Gourde started with the organization by playing with the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, and he eventually made his NHL debut in 2015 and registered his first NHL goal in 2017. In 2020 and 2021, he won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning. In the latter year, after winning the Cup, he was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL expansion draft.

Reader's Guide

Yanni Gourde is a forward for the Seattle Kraken. He was selected by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL expansion draft after winning the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. He previously played for the Lightning and their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, as well as the Worcester Sharks, San Francisco Bulls, and Kalamazoo Wings.

Did You Know?

Gourde won the Jean Béliveau Trophy as the QMJHL's top scorer and the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player in his final junior season.
He scored his first NHL goal shorthanded on March 11, 2017, becoming the fourth Tampa Bay Lightning player to do so.
Gourde set Lightning rookie records for most goals (25) and most points (64) in a season during the 2017–18 campaign.